Black Friday creep has major retailers offering a slew of pre-Black Friday specials, but those deals could last until Cyber Monday and beyond in some cases. But most small businesses can't afford to offer sale prices week after week before, during and after the holidays. Here's a list of get-them-while-you-can deals offered from local retailers, restaurants and one college art department.
Minneapolis-based Thymes continues its fall warehouse sale through Saturday. It includes candles, lotions, soaps, and diffusers at 50-75% percent discounts. It also includes other brands since the parent company Curio merged with Capri Blue and Aspen Bay. Prices are $1 to $15 and include retired scents, and products with the previous season's packaging, samples and overstocks. The sale continues until 6 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in the former Herberger's in Rosedale Center in Roseville.
The annual MCAD art sale at Minneapolis College of Art and Design (2501 Stevens Av., Mpls., www.mcad.edu) on Friday and Saturday attracts all types--from the apartment dweller who wants something original, fun and cheap to put on the wall to the art collector in search of promising talent. The best part, besides the thousands of pieces for sale, is that the average item sells for $125 and nothing can be priced higher than $1,500.
Eighty percent of the sale price goes to the student with more than 400 of them contributing works to the sale. Admission is $30 at the door on Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. and free on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some artists discount their work on Saturday.
Want to give your kitchen knives a sharper edge before holiday meals? Eversharp's knife-sharpening sale (344 Taft St. NE, Mpls., www.eversharpknives.com) continues through Dec. 7. Get knives sharpened while you wait for $3 per straight blade and $5 per serrated ones or $1 less per knife for overnight service. Eversharp is also a factory authorized outlet for Wusthof with a large selection at discounted prices.
Local and national chain restaurants have begun their annual "free bonus gift card with gift card purchase" promotions. Check your favorite eating spots for freebie offers that can be given as gifts to others or yourself. Hell's Kitchen and Taco John's offer an extra $5 with a $25 gift card purchase. Parasole restaurants such as Manny's, Salut, Pittsburgh Blue, Good Earth and Burger Jones offer a free $25 bonus card with a $100 gift card purchase, which can then be used at any of their restaurants. Most of the bonus gift cards cannot be redeemed until after the holidays and may not be offered online.
